Sidehackers. An infamous episode for what the SOL didn’t show. I’ve been shocked by a few things cut from the SOL versions; The rape in Red Zone Cuba and Tor Johnson strangling a woman to start The Unearthly come to mind, but those aren’t discussed by SOL fans. It is an important episode in the development of the show, not for the riffing and such, but for how they chose films. Or maybe a better way of phrasing that, in light of the RZC and Unearthly examples, how the SOL chose to frame their films.

As I get ready to start, it is almost like the movie has become secondary. I almost feel like I’m just going to be waiting for Rita to die. Trying not to get into that mind space, but it is hard too with this one ready for play.

It is nice we get some actual racing, instead of the implied racing of Hellcats. We get two racing sequences and the goofing off scene. We do get plenty of racing action. At last, a biker film with biker action! Of course, it’s pretty much all done by the 23 minute mark.

Did you know director Gus Trikonis was Goldie Hawn’s first husband? According to IMDB, Goldie can be seen watching the end of the first race and auditioned for Paisely. Or Ross Hagen and Trikonis did a comedy called Supercock about cock fighting? Nancy Kwan was in Supercock, a name that means something to men of a certain age.

AKA title Five the Hard Way. The title song makes more sense now.

Frolicking in movies never looks honest or remotely real. And Ross, he isn’t a natural romantic, let us say that. “Love is Good,” well said Ross.

Yeah. It is almost like the F-bombs in Scarface.

So, Ross and Luke play grab ass around the shop when no one is looking?

That brings us to JC’s big entrance. One of the Club MST3K members put forth the proposition JC was the most loathsome character in all the experiments because there are actually real JCs out there. Among the many reasons JC stands out is he is a much better actor than anyone else in this movie. Michael Pataki has quite a ‘that guy’ resume on IMDB. Pataki also portrayed the infamous George Liquor from Ren and Stimpy.

Diane McBain (Rita) has a decent IMBD too. But I can’t say she was given much to work with as a character. I think this may be the biggest crime about what happens to Rita. She isn’t a character, she is a plot device. She exist just to die, so our ‘hero’ has a reason to go on his crusade.

Not like anyone else is developed as a character. With the exception of JC. He is the only real in this movie, and that is not a good thing. Wouldn’t you like to know what kind of trouble Rommel had in his past to be able to go a crusading like that?

Another movie shot over several weekends.

JC calls Nero the N-Word. He beats up Paisley. What piece of work.

Paisley (Claire Polan) and Ross were married from 1963 to her death in 2003. Maybe that’s why Rita and Rommel had no spark. Hard to get romantic with the missus around.

Button your shirt Ross. At least it isn’t Alan Hale Jr.

Lovely collection of 60s era centerfolds in the shop washroom. Much clearer versions than the SOL. All tastefully done I’m sure.

And now we’re back to waiting for Rita to die.

Hitting pause. Taking a moment. Like I’m trying to not to watch what I know is next.

Restarting. Feel free to skip the next bit.

Ross wakes up beat to hell. Rita hanging by her arms from rafters, dead, clothes tattered. Ross finds his car engine destroyed. Starts to run, payphone—no change (Call collect or Operator didn’t occur). Car won’t stop for him. When Rommel gets to the friend’s house, that’s when it gets bad. The scene cuts from the friend’s children (a boy and a girl) wrestling to a shaky cam, quick cut flashback of Rita’s rape and death. (For what it’s worth, her death was accidental, she fell and broke her neck or something) The cutting in of the children was at the start of the flashback was really uncalled for. The whole thing was uncalled for.

One thing I’ve never really understood about this movie and the SOL attitude towards its content. I get why they cut Rita’s rape and death. Even if you could write a riff for that scene, the term ‘tasteless’ would barely scratch the surface. But it is ok to show Paisley get slugged in the gut and strangled? And riff it too? I’m just saying.

One of the biggest missed opportunities: the raising cash/building a team sequence. That could have really created characters we could care about when they die. No, Trikonis and Ross would rather have a camp out and tell an old joke. Until we get to the death match at the end, this movie hits a brick wall and stops there.

Blew their squib budget on Gooch.

I’m glad Nero got out of there alive. Wouldn’t you love to know his score he wanted to settle with JC was? I’m actually getting a little ticked at what a good movie they could have had. Instead, they aimed low and missed.

Was this the first example of MST3K showing “no moral” theater?

Watchability: 1 of 5. Take away the scenes of Rita’s death and I would go 2.

Missing the Riffs: 1 of 5. Was not an experiment I was looking forward to, I’m glad it is over.

Some things I learned prepping for viewing an unriffed Colossus and the Headhunters:

(All facts subject to your faith in Wikipedia.)

Maciste was created as a heroic character for Italian movies in the 1910s. He’s not some hero from ancient times, unless your definition of ancient refers to a time when Teddy Roosevelt was still alive.

Maciste was originally a solder, angel, Olympic athlete, or anything the plot required. He is a hero in the most generic sense of the word.

During the Sword and Sandal era of Italian filmmaking, Maciste was reimagined as a hero in the classic manner. Because of a lack of familiarity with American audiences, his movies were retitled. Colossus and the Headhunters however neglected to change his name for the voice actors’ scripts.

Hercules against the Moon Men was originally released in Italy and France as a Maciste movie. A missed Cheesesteak opportunity for Joel and the boys.

Jesus Franco, director of The Castle of Fu Manchu, apparently made some Maciste-themed porn films in the 1970s. So there’s that for you if you like.

So, I got one of those movie packs. Ok, so I have several, but that’s not the point. And I’m going through the disc, watching the movies, and I hit a Sword and Sandal block. Four Hercules movies. Suddenly, I’m not in the mood for B movies.

That is kind of my relationship with Sword and Sandal. Not something I really go out of my way to watch. I will stop rather than go on. But that is the thing about MST3K, it covers a wide variety, there is something for everyone. Still, I’d rather have a Eurospy if we’re having Italian.

I think Jason and the Argonauts ruined other S&S for me. None of these muscle men movies could muster the effects of Harryhausen.

As sleepy and misdirected as the Hercules movies could get, it is hard to think of a movie with a more random beginning than this one. Maciste just happened to be walking on a doomed island, just as it is getting doomed?

Should I be bothered by what appears to be ever shrinking numbers on the raft? Maciste isn’t losing any muscle mass on the open seas.

This is one of the few instances where I think the SOL had a better print than I did. The color is very washed out in many places on this print. Almost like the film was overexposed.

It is not just that Maciste lays there breathing, but he starts to sit up before the soldiers are fully out of frame.

I know they just lost their island, but these poor people have a lot invested in a guy who literally just showed up.

I often wonder with the dubbed films of this era how much better voice acting would help them out. Too many of these voices are just reading lines, not really doing anything to make characters. Of course, there are plenty of English language movies better music (or any at all) would improve. That isn’t to say the music cues in this film couldn’t use help by the bushel full.

So, Maciste thinks it would dangerous to stay at the village and help fight the headhunters, but thinks it is ok to go onto the headhunters turf to find ‘safety’? He needs someone to do the thinking around here. Shouldn’t Ariel speak for his people, not Johnny come lately?

Bob Newhart had a more believable fight scene than the headhunter attack. It would seem the attack would kill all the people Kermes is trying to rule. I don’t know if that is a metaphor or just poorly thought out.

And just as Queen Amoha’s people are subjugated, Ariel’s people show up. It is a never ending cycle. On the plus side, now there is lots of available real estate for Ariel’s people.

This whole movie feels like it is missing scenes. Like there are key set up points we weren’t allowed to know.

41:51 into the movie, Maciste pushes in a wall. The second thing he’s done in the movie. A wandering hero, I. Hercules would have been in at least 3 good natured brawls alone by this point.

During the jailbreak, Maciste and Ariel manage to engage everyone but the two people they needed to stop. I’ve got my doubts about Maciste’s ability to go about and a-hero.

So, what do the headhunters get out of this deal? Kermes becomes king, and they get to leave? I somehow don’t buy it. Headhunters are into it just for the heads. It is what they do.

I just love that the hero feels the need to be updated on the plot. Good to know I’m not the only one whose attention was fleeting.

Worse Liturgical Dance: The wedding dance from Colossus or the sacrifice dance from The Mole People? The Fire Maidens dance gets at least an honorable mention. I honestly think this poor girl had to improvise the dance on her own. Nothing could be choreographed that spasmodically. Around 3 minutes of that ‘dancing’.

So, do the Uris troops massacre the headhunter village? I know we just see soldiers dying, but things like this get out of control quickly. And they did torch the village.

I do like the arrow to the face.

Just not well done fight scenes. As if there wasn’t any fight training and everyone was scared to hurt one another.

And of course, Maciste shows up just as things are breaking up. Just in time heroes really need to rethink how they live life.

And pushing over that tower accomplished what? This is a whole new level of meaningless daring do. None of the good guys have put any level of thought into what they want. They are consumed by several immediate small goals, but there does not seem to be any plan. Heck, Maciste doesn’t so much save the day as he shows up just as everything sorts itself out. Ok, he killed the villain. That is something.

Wow, Pee-Wee level death scene. If dying is easy, I guess that is one unfunny actor.

See era of strife is over. They did massacre the headhunters.

If there is one thing royalty likes it is rafting out on the Mediterranean on an open raft like a Huck and Jim of the classical period.

Watchability: 1 of 5. Not a genre I like, but this wasn’t even a well done example. Bad voice acting, poorly thought plot and a bad print to boot. Not a lot to like here.

Missing the Riffs: 3 of 5. I know this is a ‘raw nerve’ episode for many MSTies, with the Nummy Muffin Coocol Butter bits, so I knock it down a bit for that. I suppose a big Kirk Morris fan would have to watch this without the SOL, but I don’t think anyone else should.

In honor of this experiment reaching 400 laughs at Club-MST3k, I think this movie deserves an unriffed viewing. 400 laughs makes it the most laughed episode at the club, far and away the most laughed. I think I would place the episode in my top 50, but probably not my top 25.

Reb (David Ryder) Brown and Cissy (Dr. Lea Jansen) Cameron have been married since 1979.

The credits remind me of the visual from the FVI films the SOL watched, but these are on purpose.

I don’t understand why this movie is ‘introducing’ Cissy Cameron, she has IMDB credits going back to 1971. She was a regular in a Ted Knight sitcom, back when that meant something. How can you introduce someone with 17 years of work behind her?

Battlestar Galactica of 1978 and 1980. I saw both series, I saw the movie in the theaters. But I can’t say I was a big fan of it. I much preferred Buck Rogers for my late 1970’s Sci-Fi. Had no interest in the more recent series.

I don’t know much about South African cinema in the late 1980’s, but this looks more like a ‘fan film’ than a professional job. A high quality fan film, but it doesn’t even reach TV movie quality in look.

If these were amateurs, I would praise the creativity of setting up the locations. An office as the bridge? Generic Industrial building (with windows) as the bowels of the ship? There had to be better choices, right?

Workout leotards and modified fast food uniforms it what the clothes look like. Ed Wood would be proud.

The SOL cut out a huge chunk of Battlestar Galactica footage, and related ‘looking very concerned about the battle’ shots of the crew.

Kalgan is not a very subtle villain. I would think there would be some kind of uproar about all the people going missing.

Of the hundreds and hundreds of plot holes and questions raised, and God knows every frame of this film raises new questions, this is the series which really bugs me: Where was the Professor coming from? Was he and Ryder just out cruising through space? Were they investigating a possible planet to colonize? And they clearly know there are habitable planets out there, the Bellarians had to come from somewhere, right? You get started on these, and it just opens up dozens more. And these are the questions the first 10 minutes inspire!

John Phillip Law is really acting hard. You can just tell.

The Corona Borealis is an actual constellation, also known as the Northern Crown. So the Southern Sun is flying to the Northern Crown. Maybe that’s symbolism of some sort.

And they are not even consistent about how they use the Battlestar footage. In the first scenes, it was moving backwards. Now it is moving forward.

I know Kalgan is the ‘villain’ of the piece, but is he really? He wants to get everyone off the ship and on to a planet. I can’t say I approve of his methods, but Commander Jansen (Cameron Mitchell) might be wrong on this on.

Many of the kills in this movie are based on the fact no one seems to react to shots fired and bodies dropping to the floor.

And isn’t his a fight to the death kind of thing for the mutineers? I mean where can they go after rising up against the Commander? They are still just stuck on a space, you know what, no more questions.

The SOL cut the Engineer flailing around the floor on fire. He burns up real good in the full cut.

I don’t think they missed a cliché in this movie. It is like they had a checklist.

Watchability: 3 of 5. I’ve changed my mind a dozen times on this already. What blows my mind is how much the SOL crew didn’t go after in this movie. When I say this movie makes me think of Ed Wood, that is a good thing.

Missing the Riffs: 3 of 5. It is one of those movies that doesn’t need the SOL to be enjoyable. Of course, your mileage may vary.

Like many Msties, I’m not very familiar with Season 0. Now, with the Internet and all, the very humble origins of the Satellite of Love are available to be viewed. I had known the show started out on local TV, but never had any idea I would ever see them.

I’ve not seen all the KTMA’s available—K04 (Gamera vs Barugon) through K11 (Humanoid Woman) is the limit of my experience—and K10 is the only one I’ve seen multiple times. Rough with some moments of brilliance sprinkled, this is what I take away from the KTMA episodes.

Space: 1999 I’m even less familiar with. Other than watching K10, I probably haven’t watched an episode of Space: 1999 for 30 or so years. I made the decision on that show a long time ago. I thought it was boring and absurd all at the same time. I love absurd, but if you can make it boring, that’s something else. I saw plenty of Mission: Impossible reruns as a kid, and even Landau and Bain couldn’t make me stay with it.

Cosmic Princess is two episodes of the second series smashed together to resemble a movie. The only tie, from what I gather, is the character Maya plays a big part in both of them.

Space: 1999 was the last series of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson of Thunderbirds fame. It was once the most expensive British TV series of all time, which makes me cry a little seeing the effects here.

I had to read a bit about the show, just in case I couldn’t follow the plot. The series was renewed at the last minute, and was undergoing many stylistic and production changes. The introduction of Maya, per Wikipedia at least, was supposed to be a character to help ratings in the United States. So, I guess she is an alien version of Cousin Oliver.

Season 2 Episode 1: The Metamorph

Maya is 3rd billed after Martin and Barbara. Actually, the only other person shown or named in the credits. Wow, they really were banking on her.

This is the mid-1970s and the sets look shoddier than original series Star Trek. The ‘space chase’ looked like it went past the same Xmas lights a couple times.

Brian Blessed’s hair is much more impressive with a crisper picture.

Maya looks like she’s dressed for the skating long program. Maya appears earlier in the episode than she does in the movie. Their interaction reminds me of Captain Santa Claus and his daughter in Space Mutiny.

Nice spaceship graveyard shot.

I wonder if losing an Eagle was like Mannix getting shot. Just had to happen once an episode. The Eagles are a pretty iconic ship, much better than the series it comes from.

The alien ‘slaves’ are pathetic. Arms aren’t painted, very little in terms of prosthetics. These make-up artist wouldn’t last very long on Face Off.

Again, I’m not that familiar with the series, but the sets and colors scream 1965 at me, not 1975. It is like they took everything decent about ST: OS and sucked the life out of it. It even feels like Martin Landau is doing a less hammy Kirk.

So, knowing what I know about Psyche (the computer) and the nutjob that is Mentor, why should I think Maya is anything more than the what the Psychon Guards are—animated matter. Why should she be flesh and blood when nothing else is on the planet?

I think they are using Tupperware in the Psychon prison.

Another movie/show where it was cheaper to use a cutout of the moon rather than something more real looking—like film of the moon. I think we had those in the 1970s.

Why would an alien turn into Earth animals? Wouldn’t she become, I don’t know, something alien?

HO scale moon. Only Godzilla is usually that deadly against models.

Nice gorilla suit Maya!

And middle school science experiments explode all over the planet.

Must. Simulate. Gravity’s. Pull.

Wow, and I’ve got another one of these?

Season 2 Episode 12: Space Warp

I have seen Space Warp listed as episode 15 in some guides, but it is episode 12 on Hulu, so that’s what I’m calling it.

Apparently space warps and wormholes were common plot devices in Space: 1999.

This episode ‘happens’ almost a year after episode 1. Maya is now the science officer, not just a freaky chick they picked up hours ago. And she is apparently involved with Tony Verdeschi, the man Captain Koenig gets left behind with.

Wouldn’t it make more sense if the Eagle was sucked through the space warp? A whole moon getting sucked through, and the ship not really being affected? It is easier to believe in a shape shifting alien changing into Earth creatures.

The more and more the characters keep saying “Space Warp” the more ridiculous it sounds.

Two episodes and Barbara Bain has been crying like mad in both of them. Come on, I expect more from Cinnamon Carter.

So, is this creature Maya’s true form? Or is it a testament to how few good ideas the Space: 1999 team had. This is not a well thought out or well executed make up.

I do have to say, there are some good models of the moon base shown. I guess that’s where the money went.

When all else fails, just start cutting, right? So, Barbara Bain says she knows nothing, repeat, nothing about this species, but she knows it is dying and knows she must operate? Instant expert I guess. Thankfully, no surgery, just a great Brian Blessed return, but with slightly less impressive hair coloring.

The one-eye thing Maya turns into, best creature I’ve seen in these two episodes.

Unsurprisingly, the alien record found by Landau has no mention about Mentor or Psychon. It is, still conveniently an explanation of how to jump space warps. Again, pushes believability way too far, solutions in this series just seem very convenient. More an element of luck than any skill or planning.

I can see why the Serials were never seen through to the end on MST3K. Not only is there the same formula to every f’ing episode, but trying to get 12 episodes worth of credit jokes is a task too Herculean for the SOL crew.

Just grabs a gun and shoves it in his pants. Cody does love his risky behavior.

Cheaper to show a picture of the moon than to step outside and actually film the moon.

Krog looks like he is borrowing Bela’s lab from Bride of the Monster.

Cody is one of those guys who always finds a fight wherever he goes. He has a very punchable face, I suppose.

The Thugs have no qualms about dropping atomic bombs or blasting troop trains, but won’t finish Cody off when they get the chance?!?

This must be the ‘padding’ episode: lots of flying and driving. In this light, the Mads making the crew watch two chapters and this dull as dishwater chapter being one of them, is especially cruel.

Ah yes, the tiny little bomb chapter!

Watchability: 1 of 5. Like I said, this was the ‘padding’ episodes. Lots of driving/flying footage with music designed to make it seem like something was happening. The little bomb/laser fight at the end wasn’t enough action for the little kid in me.

Missing the Riffs: 2 of 5. So it wasn’t the time away. This is one that the SOL crew helps a lot, even though you could tell they were starting to get tired of the whole thing.

“Yes! To be like the hu-man! To laugh! Feel! Want! Why are these things not in the plan?”

Robot Monster is one of those touchstone films for bad movie fans. It was one of the first ‘bad’ movies I remember hearing about, and it has that monster. Ro-Man has become, in many ways, the symbol of bad/lazy movie monsters.

Of the MST3K films, there are 3 I know I could do a better job than the people who made the movie. This one, Beast of Yucca Flats and Monster a-Go Go. Yes, I think The Creeping Terror and Manos are beyond me.

This was originally in 3-D, which makes no sense to me. Unless the bubble are that much more impressive.

Man this kid is dumb. It is like he doesn’t understand the end of the world or something.

And Ro-Man, why didn’t he just kill the boy when he had the chance. Too reliant on technology, that’s why.

This is really a dark movie if you think about it. The last people on Earth being killed off one by one, not a fun thought. And then, looking at the (SPOILER ALERT) dream ending that says something about how twisted Johnny is.

I’m trying to remember what this was shown on TV with. At 62 minutes, it wasn’t enough to fill the 2 hour slot the movie shows usually settled into. What did the locals double this with? This was another movie I rented a lot as a kid.

There is a decent story in here, maybe not a movie, but for an episode of an anthology series you might have something. The serum protecting them, until the stupid kid gives the game away, makes sense too. But the germ of an idea does not a movie make, especially when the germ isn’t really handled very well. The cast is Community Theater competent, which I suppose is a complement.

Even knowing the end is near, they keep fighting, keep hoping. I suppose there is something noble about that.

Alice (Claudia Barrett) must have magical breast to mesmerize Ro-Man. She does put herself into her speech about going to see Ro-Man.

Lots and lots of walking in the second half of the movie.

Good to know American kids can have upsetting shorts too.

The score isn’t too bad, which is a good thing. The lack of dialogue in the middle portion of the film would be unbearable without any noise.

Some secure bunker, people come and go whenever they please.

Yes, the end of civilization makes everyone frisky. And a cute ‘romantic’ way to get around sound sync issues.

For an advanced conquering species, they could do better by going to Radio Shack.

Director Phil Tucker really had a lot to say, just no idea how to actually communicate to them.

The amazing thing about this movie is that everyone, but the children, have other credits. Even Ro-Man has been in dozens of films.

This is one of the films I suspect of replaying the same scenes over and over. So many of the Ro-Man walking shots look the same. It’s one of those movies I suspect was shot without a single permit.

There is serious technobabble coming from the Ro-Men, all the nonsense about formulas and plans. Words without thought.

Could the Ro-Man/Roy fight be the lamest in movie history?

That’s twice Alice has been tied up in this movie.

And then the depressing ending is all just a dream, or is it? One of the worst writing gimmicks you can got to: It was a dream, maybe times THREE!

I do like all the comic book covers.

Watch ability: 3 of 5. Objectively a 1, but there is just too much good bad stuffed in this little package.

Missing the Riffs: 3 of 5. I’ve seen it too many times before MST3K to let the riffs interfere with this viewing.

Twenty-five years ago this Sunday, a little UHF station in Minneapolis called KTMA debuted a bizarre movies-and-puppet show from a well-known local comedian named Joel Hodgson. The show was called Mystery Science Theater 3000, and from those humble beginnings, it blossomed into a cult phenomenon: a year later, it was picked up for national broadcast by the new Comedy Channel (which would later morph into Comedy Central), where it ran for seven seasons before transferring to the Sci-Fi Channel for three more. But even though the show has been off the air for over 14 years, it lives on.

“I hate to put it this way, but the project deteriorated with the remakes. And when we made the 5th one-that was the last one, I think it was-I said to Jesus [Director Jess Franco] when I viewed the print, I said, ‘Well, you’ve done something that was impossible: You successfully killed Fu Manchu.’”

-Producer Harry Alan Towers on The Castle of Fu Manchu quoted from The Fall of Fu Manchu.

There was a 6th Fu Manchu movie planned, but it was scrapped after the critical and box office failure of The Castle.

I don’t’ know much about the ‘historical’ Fu Manchu. If you had asked me, I would have probably cited him as a Sherlock Holmes villain.

We all know Fu Manchu as a villain and a mustache, but Sax Rohmer actually described Fu as ‘hairless’, for 50 points and control of the board: Which actor was the first to portray Fu Manchu with a mustache?

Footage from 1958’s A Night to Remember (sinking ship) and 1957’s Campbell’s Kingdom (Bursting Dam) are used in this movie.

Director Jesus (Jess) Franco, and who appears as Inspector Ahmet, made some very odd pornography/sexploitation films during his career. I have seen him referred to as ‘the Ed Wood’ of Europe. He directed films from the late 50’s to 2013, he passed away earlier this year.

We miss Lisa (Rosalba Neri) killing a junkie in the SOL cut. He just comes into the scene complaining of no opium, and she knifes him.

Another film where the nonsensical nature of the movie is not a result of unfair editing, but exist in the original cut. The Governor goes straight from the dead man to running around the hallways.

A very dramatic colored liquid boiling sequence. Kind of pretty, but padding all the same. The extended coffin carrying sequence was a good choice to cut. The heart surgery takes longer in the full version, a missed chance for more fake blood and gore is all it becomes. The SOL did a very good job of cutting this film without losing very much in terms of structure.

Is there another series like this built around a villain?

The one thing I do like about this movie: all the little 1920’s items-the cars, the phones, guns and equipment.

Honestly, the best thing in this movie is Rosalba Neri in those suits.

There is so much wrong with this movie. It was a franchise on its very last legs. The script had become lazy, relying on coincidence after coincidence to further the plot. The direction is trying too hard to be ‘arty’ in too many places. Too many decisions by the characters fly hard in the face of logic. The last Fu Manchu movie I know was that crime that was Peter Sellers’ last film. The Castle really did kill the character from the popular culture.

Was there hope of turning this into a retro-James Bond ripoff? Nayland Smith, at least this version of him, has no skills at all. The fight choreography at the end of the movie is wooden.

Watchability: 2 of 5. I have to disagree with Tom Servo, this is not the worst movie they ever watched. High levels of boredom, yes. A bottom tier episode, yes. But not the worst movie I’ve watched on this project. And yes, Rosalba Neri in those suits was worth 1 point all by herself.

Missing the Riffs: 1 of 5. Another of those “Never without the SOL” movies. Ok, maybe if I decide, for some reason, to watch all 5 Christopher Lee Fu Manchu movies, I could give it one more spin. But no more than that.

So who was the first Fu Manchu with a mustache? It was Warner Oland, the Swedish American actor best known as Charlie Chan. Only in America!